1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an infant scooter.
2. The Relevant Technology
Scooters have experienced a renaissance in early 2000 which is due to the modernization of the traditional scooter concept using new materials and in particular offering improved driving qualities. Here, in particular, the following three types have gained acceptance:
on the one hand, the two-wheel folding scooter, preferably made of aluminum; on the other hand, the kickboard normally designed with three wheels (registered European trade mark of Micro Mobility Systems AG), with the features of a flexible, concave footboard made of wood; and finally a kind of combination of the two basic models, namely the two-wheel scooter, also with a so-called flexdeck, i.e. a flexible concave footboard made of wood. Two-wheel scooters normally have height adjustable handle bars with grips similar to a short bicycle handle bar. In contrast, kickboards normally only have a steering bar with a spherical termination of plastic.
The kickboard is generically referred to as 3-wheeler and has found many imitators. The advantage of the kickboard is that the drivability is more dynamic than with the rigid two-wheel scooter; the driving behavior is thus closer to that of a skateboard. Due to the existing handle bar, however, it is much easier to drive than a skateboard and, due to the normally provided two front wheels and one rear wheel, it is on the other hand easier to drive than a two-wheel scooter, in particular for infants.
Since the kickboard, in difference to skateboards, is nevertheless a vehicle that can and should be used on public roads, its construction is stable in this respect, in contrast to the skateboards designed for extreme sports or for playing.
Due to this very solid design and the minimum size required for a sturdy driving behavior, kickboards are rather suited for adolescents and adults than for children or infants.
To overcome this problem, in 2006, the present applicant developed a kickboard for children which is, as to its design and driving behavior, very close to the kickboard, but which is nearly completely made of plastic. Due to this fact, the corresponding vehicle is very light and thus also suited for infants. Moreover, fabrication is inexpensive, and correspondingly cheap prices can be obtained. Finally, with this design, any sharp edges or hard materials can be avoided so that the risk of injury is minimized. Moreover, the handle bar is shortened, corresponding to the infants' requirements.
This child's kickboard has meanwhile become a trendsetter and is accordingly popular with children as well as with responsible adults.
While some two-year-olds can already easily drive the child's kickboard, and these child's kickboards increasingly replace corresponding walking or balance bikes, one can generally say that for two year old and younger children, driving a child's kickboard involves certain risks due to possible falls. Two-year-old and younger children therefore still use, as before, conventional tricycles to sit on, tractors, and the like. The Bobby Car is particularly popular (registered trademark of the Company BIG). This design is also characterized by a low weight, stable construction, blunt edges and good drivability.